<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>The Butterfly Ending by Cat77</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29605221">The Butterfly Ending</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cat77/pseuds/Cat77'>Cat77</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Cyberpunk 2077 (Video Game)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Additional Characters to be added, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Possible Romance, Slow Burn, To Be Continued, time altered</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-04-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-16 02:49:12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>9</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>15,267</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29605221</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cat77/pseuds/Cat77</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>What a difference a few choices can make. </p><p>V doesn't need to save Nightcity, she only need survive.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Prologue</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The smell of a Cuban cigar permeated into the fabrics of the cheap motel room. The No-Tell Motel where debauchery festered within the very walls, growing with every murder, every drug deal gone wrong. Sex that ended in a traditional happy ending seemed the only reprieve to occur within the place. Dex, T-bug and Oleg waited for Jackie and V.</p><p>Dex hung one arm over the tv screen that displayed the mess of Kompeki Plaza. The two mercs he had hired proved themselves near worthless, Delamain was their only saving grace the Ai had notified him of their impending arrival. So, the two mercs had survived. With another pull on his cigar Dex considered what would be worse, having the relic or nothing at all. The figures of Arasaka special forces appeared on the screen, he knew which was worse. Dex looked over to T-bug who had been on her computer typing away for the last twenty minutes, she had disconnected from the two mercs just before the ICE breakers of Arasaka tech could zero her. It was far too risky for her to try and reconnect with them, they had all thought the same idea that the two mercs were dead. How couldn’t they be?						</p><p>‘Bug, how are things on the net?’ Dex pushed out a plume of smoke as Bug averted her eyes for only a moment before returning to the faint blue glow of her screen. Netrunners, an odd breed.					</p><p>‘Like a hive of hornets that just had their nest smacked with a sledgehammer.’ Only the sound of typing filled the room. Dex returned his attention to the tv, images of Yorinobu and Hanako popped up on the background behind the female news reporter. Old photographs that had been officially released of the Arasaka siblings.</p><p>When Oleg opened the door only a bloody V came through. Dex averted his eyes for a moment as he heard the woman gasp at the sight of T-bug.										</p><p>‘Bug, we thought-’											</p><p>‘You see this,’ Dex cut V off as he pointed to the screen, ‘this shit is blown’ up all over the news. You and Jackie have spectacularly drawn the eyes of very damn pen pusher, blade runner and their fuckin grandmas to attention.’ Dex walked over to stand in front of V, blowing out smoke from his nostrils. ‘And where is that Valentino trickster?’		</p><p>V’s face fell, ‘he’s dead.’										</p><p>‘Shit,’ Dex threw his flesh arm into the air. On the lounge T-bug closed her computer the sound drawing the attention of the room briefly to her. ‘Alright, do you have the relic.’ Dex asked from over his shoulder.			</p><p>V dug into her pants pocket. The bloody chip in hand she held it out to Dex. He directed her to give it to T-bug. Behind them Oleg moved to stand near the walk-in shower.							</p><p>‘Fuckin shit.’ Dex drew in another pull of his cigar as V waited.						</p><p>‘What now Dex?’											</p><p>‘What now? I have half a mind to toss you out the fuckin window.’ Dex pointed his cigar at V.			</p><p>‘Wah, what? You promised this would go smoothly, where was the reconnaissance for Saburo’s attendance?’	</p><p>Dex scoffed, ‘like I’m supposed to know the Emperor’s fuckin schedule. You and your friend fucked up.’		</p><p>V stepped forward, she stopped for Oleg mimicked her sudden movement. ‘What about the forty percent?’		</p><p>Dex laughed this time, ‘forty percent for this shit show? Forty percent for you alone? I don’t pay dead mercs.’ Dex turned his back on V. The young woman’s eyes burned, the image of Jackie’s still face came to mind. The memory of Yorinobu attacking his father, the crime she would soon be blamed for. The stolen relic seemed trivial by comparison. T-Bug cut the silence.					</p><p>‘The relic is unstable, Dex we need to move if we want any chance of maintaining use of the tech.’ T-bug turned the relic over in her hand wiping away the blood from the chip. Jackie had tried to push the chip into V’s neural port before he died, V had instinctively stopped him. She knew the risk of foreign chips, this Arasaka tech was not something she wish to play with even if it meant the tech would likely deteriorate from unsuitable conditions. Two years outside of working for Arasaka’s counterintelligence V had no idea of what the relic was or that such a program existed. Now of course there were growing advertisements she had seen on the digital screens plastered across Nightcity, secure your soul, V felt it was one step closer to being a machine than what it was to retaining an element of humanity.					</p><p>Dex looked to the relic in T-bug’s hand, he knew as much as the others present on the Arasaka tech. Outside sirens grew louder. Delamain. The Arasaka corpos likely tracked the Ai vehicle to this dingy motel.				</p><p>‘We need to move, get your stuff Bug.’ Dex put his cigar in his mouth then picked up his handgun. Plan B.		</p><p>V shot forward in a futile attempt to push the mammoth of a man to gain his attention, ‘what the hell Dex?’ Oleg’s fist connected with the side of V’s head, the woman tumbled to the floor frayed fabric of the carpet scratched the side of her face. It smelt faintly of urine.							</p><p>‘Miss V, had things gone differently we may have parted as good acquaintances. Yet…’				</p><p>‘Wait, Dex.’ T-bug stood up. V felt a small victory in T-bug’s defence of her discombobulated form. 		</p><p>‘Bug, those Arasaka are-’										</p><p>‘We need a compatible case for transporting the relic.’ T-bug stepped around from the lounge, Oleg stepped aside as the Netrunner moved V’s hair to the side then slotted the relic into her neural port.					</p><p>‘So now we have to carry her body around the damn place,’ Dex shook his head.				</p><p>‘If it keeps the relic functional, Oleg carry her out to the car.’						</p><p>‘Bug, that chip needs to be kept cool. Not in an active mind burning with fear.’					</p><p>The Netrunner turned her head, looking between V and Dex a level of understanding dawning on her. Silently she apologised to V, there was after all only so much she could do before things went far outside of her own safety.		</p><p>Oleg turned V over so that she was laying on her back. With his cigar now between his fingers Dex removed the safety from Plan B. Aiming the gun to the side of V’s head he remembered an old movie his grandma used to watch. The scene at the start of the film of a beaten bride on the ground wheezing in anger as she watched a former lover approach. The sound of his voice low and calm, the heel of each shoe meeting the wooden floorboards echoed throughout the room. The gun being prepared and a brief realisation dawning on her face before the sound of a gunshot tore threw her skull.	</p><p>V had missed part of what Dex said to her, something about a quiet life. T-bug’s face faded from her vision and only the end of Dexter DeShawn’s pistol filled her line of sight.							</p><p>‘Night miss V.’</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. City Lights</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>‘Find them. I want them brought to me. I need to see their faces.’ Yorinobu dismissed Takemura from his act. Takemura knew the true murder of Saburo Arasaka remained seated in his master’s office. The sound of Hanako’s name fell from Yorinobu’s mouth as he called his sister. 	</p><p>As Takemura turned to leave he briefly averted his eyes to the monster standing by the door. Adam Smasher, the freak of nature that Yorinobu had kept alive with Saburo’s assistance. For which Takemura could never understand why.</p><p>Takemura rarely felt uneasy, his training in the military and as an Saburo’s bodyguard had him remain in a heightened state of surety, he was mentality and physically capable of protecting the most important man in the world. Yet this machine drew from him a line of concern he so rarely experienced.</p><p>                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     -x-</p><p>Dex had Oleg turn off the radio as they headed towards the outskirts of Nightcity. T-bug hadn’t joined them. The Netrunner said she would find her own way out of this mess splitting from them once outside of the motel. Dex had Oleg put V in the trunk. T-bug had been displaced by Dex’s handling of V and the relic, she was exceptionally good at downplaying her emotive state, but it was easy to see that his action had drawn out a conflict of interest from the Netrunner. Dare he presume that T-bug would have rather seen the relic deteriorate into useless tech then had V become the flesh fridge for the compromised tech.			</p><p>For nearly an hour since having left the motel they had driven through the city at a crawling pace. The air was thick with apprehension, not one street walker or gang was spotted. It was near possible to catch the tense air in a box. Dex had attempted to call Ms Parker on the holo but it was no surprise to find that his call rung out. Oleg had to take the side of side streets to navigate outside of the NCPD and Arasaka agents who swarmed the air above Nightcity. Like thoroughly pissed off hornets.</p><p>A hit on the radio said that the Ai controlled service, Delamain had been put into a state of temporary lockdown following the Konpeki Plaza attack. The man’s voice said that a vehicle from the automotive service had been used as a getaway car for the two assailants. A shiver ran over Dex’s flesh, even the metal of his golden arm felt cooler for a brief moment. There was every reason to be concerned, the Delamain had been hired out under his name. The service was known for its high levels of customer satisfaction, yet it had only one flaw and that incurred for people like him. There was no way to hire a vehicle without approved credentials, Dex slammed his fist onto the leather seat. His name, his contacts hell even his date of birth not that he expected a birthday present from Arasaka anytime soon, all his contact information that Delamain required for an approved transaction would be within Arasaka hands if it were not already.  			</p><p>Dex pulled out another cigar, the smoke filling the car within minutes. Oleg pushed a button on the dash that let the smoke-filled air escape from roof of the car. They were now travelling south-east of Santo Domingo, into the bush bashing wild of trailer trash territory. Dex had considered fleeing through Pacifica, but the thought went as soon as it came. His distant Haitian brothers and sisters would likely skin him alive for even appearing there, if they knew he had an Arasaka chip only the old gods knew what they would do. 				</p><p>Dex called an old friend, one who owed him a favour and was in no position to refuse.		</p><p>‘Hilly, man, yeah I know…Look, you still owed me for the last three favours I threw your way now I’m the one who needs a helping hand old friend.’ There was a pregnant pause as an anxious voice bubbled out hesitant replies.		</p><p>Dex pushed a button to lower the window then tossed out his lit cigar on to the overpass. Oleg remained quiet, his grip on the steering wheel tightening momentarily. ‘Glad you see it my way. Now there is an old fuel station on the way out of Santo, I’ll send you the details you make sure to be there, don’t you get lost now friend.’ Dex hung up the call and blew out a heavy breath coughing from his gut with a tense pain.		</p><p>Mr Hill was the type of man who held resemblance to an underfed rodent. The type of person who worked in an office on the ten floor and was a known face in his district’s local BD bar. Though any slight breeze could push him over, one thing Mr Hill had going for him was money, his family was loaded enough for an entire lifetime of comfort. What Mr Hill had in addition to copious amounts of money was a very domineering wife, she pulled the strings whilst Mr Hill was just so fortunate to know a capable when his wife needed something to be taken care of.					</p><p>Mr Hill waved at Dex as he got out of his car, Dex didn’t wave back but acknowledged him with a short nod.<br/>
‘Oleg, now you keep heading south-east, you’ll see the turn off to the dump she ain’t pretty nor does she smell like a bag of roses but it’s the spot you’ll be waiting. Once things settle in the city by mornin’ I’ll flick you the details on where to go next.’ At that Dex placed a firm hand on Oleg’s shoulder, the gesture was not fraternal but one of reaffirming the command. Oleg nodded.</p><p>Once Oleg had turned the car around and bumped back onto the road Dex went over to Mr Hill. Grasping the man’s hand and shoulder firmly with the intention to have the greeting be uncomfortable.</p><p>‘Lets hit the road then,’ Dex went to the front passenger seat this time as Mr Hill took the wheel.</p><p>Fifteen minutes passed. Dex had sat in silence with Mr Hill driving through the city, once more at a snail’s pace. Oleg’s face appeared on Dex’s hollo. Unconventionally there was a sheer vail of unsettled nerves on his face. The former Animal never so much as looked startled little lone held a line of sweat on his brow.	</p><p>‘Mr DeShawn, there is car that has been trailing me for the last ten minutes.’ Oleg looked up to where Dex knew the revision mirror sat. Through the hollo Dex could just see a faint glow of head lights. A fresh drain of worry rushed down his face, his palm now sweaty rubbed against his knee in an effort to dispel the unease. Dex heard the car rear to life as Oleg drove faster. He wanted to hang up the hollo, disconnect their connection. Like watching a horror film, he couldn’t tear his senses from the scene.	</p><p>Oleg weaved between the few cars that populated the highway, in the distance the lights of Nightcity took on an intoxicating mockery. Oleg took a sharp turn that cut their call.				</p><p>‘That stupid motherf-’ Dex ate his words.	</p><p>‘Dex, everything alright? Dex?’ Mr Hill glanced twice to the man seated next to him.		</p><p>‘Shit!’ Dex slammed his fist against the car door. Doing his hand more damage than the car. </p><p>Elsewhere Oleg pinned the car into a sharp right only for it to lose perchance on the ground. Both tires on the right side lifted and the car tumbled to the left. Both passengers were ejected from the vehicle. Both passengers survived.		</p><p>Oleg leaned against an old tv as he got back onto his feet. Twenty feet to his right between a pile of disintegrated bags and a white foam box laid V. Against what Dex would like Oleg walked up to the merc, his shoes landed heavy with fatigue. Grasping two fists full of her shirt Oleg heaved V up and tossed her down into a pit, her body rolled until it was hidden under rubbish. With a heavy breath Oleg wiped his nose, spat down towards the pit then turned to leave cursing at the merc, Dex and the entire of Nightcity. It was a warm rumble of an engine that silenced him, the sleek burnt orange car rolled around a hill of rubbish and bathed Oleg in blinding light.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thanks for reading! Any commentary welcome :)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>V awoke to a lumber of heaviness over her shoulders. Gritty soil chafed her skin as she tried to move. Her hands landed on flimsy half deteriorated plastic sending an immediate line of disgust through her body. Her clothes were damp in several areas and grew increasingly wet as she crawled through the gunge and grime of Nightcity rubbish. V barely registered the smell before she felt herself once again lose consciousness.</p>
<p>Sludge caked on her ankles as her heels drew up mud off the dump, she was being dragged by her armpits rather unceremoniously. A sluggish urgency not characteristic of any trauma team treatment. A gunshot flared V’s attention. Oleg, Dex’s guard dog fell backwards with a flare of blood from the back of his head. A black suit figure approached. Molten eyes bore down onto her. The man, he looked familiar, V struggled to keep her eyes focused. She tried to speak but her words were a tumble of sounds barely resembling English. A hard backhand was her reply sending her unconscious once more.</p>
<p>A feral dream of ecstasy V leaning out of the side of a car shooting guns for hire with the wind rushing past her face. The sounds or roaring car engines, grip of the gun in her hands gave the vision an almost lucid feel. She aimed for tires, engines and of course the head, anything that would ensure her survival at the cost of theirs. That was the rules of the game and even in her dreams she never intended to lose. The final scout jumped from his bike landing on the hood of the car. Mantis blades slashed across her face, instinctively V avoided the razorlike cyberwear dodging to the right as the scout lunged forward once more, stabbing his blade into the seat beside her left ear. Flickering her eyes over the blades V felt a plunge of dread, resentment and suspicion deep in her stomach. The man yelled out for her to hold on.			</p>
<p>Begrudgingly her eyes opened, pain ran all throughout her body. Ahead V saw a tin can of a sports car and a man more machine than flesh pinned against a pole and the car. He was dying but not quickly enough. V felt the iron still in her hand. Lifting the weapon, she pulled the trigger with a cry. A hand grabbed her wrist that held the gun. V expected Jackie to rebuke the necessity of it, a waste of a bullet likely the reason. The voice was foreign, accented not in the manner of a West Brook native but Japanese. Unsteadily V staggered her eyes to the right, the unfamiliar voice, clothes, the car, the person next to her was as far from Jackie as one could sensibility be in this existence. The bodyguard of Saburo Arasaka. Flashes of the molten eyes that had struck fear into her core as he stood face to face with her only separated by tinted glass fleeted to mind. V realised he was asking her to call for help. What type of nightmare was this? V called Delamain with no rime or reason to measure her madness and demanded with little vigour to be taken to Vik’s. The Arasaka guard repeated next to her that they needed a ripperdoc. Vik, he was the best she knew.</p>
<p>In and out of consciousness for an immeasurable length of time V would wake to the faint sound of humming, other times lively voices. Right hook, he got him now. Misty holding her hand as she talked to V about her tarot cards and a cat. Rarest was the face of the Arasaka agent by her side. She could not tell reality from dreams nor from memories.<br/>
When V finally awoke it felt like an elephant was pirouetting atop of her head. Her stomach felt torn in two and her left pinkie pinched uncomfortably. 		</p>
<p>‘V? Finally joined us,’ Vik’s voice, unmistakably the old ripper. V slowly looked to see the old ripperdoc at her side a doctor’s practised smile on his face. She would not be here if she felt like a million eddies.</p>
<p>‘Vik, what happened? My head…it feels like a boulder landed on it.’ Her throat strained as she spoke. V tried to raise her hand, but the motion caused a strike of pain to grace her shoulder.</p>
<p>‘Take it easy kid, you’ve been through a lot. The engine needs time to warm up before you decide to take off.’ Vik shuffled around for a moment outside of V’s line of sight. ‘Here inhale this, it should help temporarily. Ease the general shiftiness of your situation.’ The inhaler tasted like mint. Misty must have brought it. A cool wash ran down through V’s chest, it was another ten minutes before Vik helped her to sit up on the bed. To her right was a vase of yellow daffodils, plastic of course but V appreciated the gift. She would have to thank Misty properly once she could, Vik she already owed several lifetimes over.</p>
<p>‘Vik, what, geez what happened?’ Vik handed V a glass of water which she sipped slowly, never had she found herself appreciating water more in that moment. As V drank she tried to collect her puzzled thoughts. Kompeki Plaza, Jackie’s excitement, singing, shooting a gunner, a bomb under Arasaka. Shaking her head V knew something was wrong. Those were not her memories, not all of them at least. Jackie’s body, she remembered the sight of Delamain pulling away to take Jackie’s body Mama Welles.</p>
<p>‘V, Valerie?’ Vik touched her shoulder. Holding a hand to her face V hid her tears behind a bandaged palm. Vik pulled out two tissues and held them out for V. Once V had settled her nerves, she again asked Vik what had happened to her. A tenseness came over Vik’s face, but he explained how she got there, the man who brought her in and made light mention of Delamain’s commentary on his medical technique.	</p>
<p>‘I'm seeing things Vik, memories that aren’t mine.’ V pinched her eyes closed as a short headache washed over her brow. 'Singing at a rock concert, storming Arasaka tower and...planting a bomb in an elevator shaft. Drinking whisky.'</p>
<p>‘That chip V, that’s the reason. Those memories, if I’d halter a guess they belong to a long dead figure from my day, Johnny Silverhand.’</p>
<p>‘The rocker boy turned terrorist?’ V had learnt about him in her senior year at high school, history class had a whole month-long module on the history of Arasaka. The one and only Johnny Silverhand, a musician of mediocre success with a ripe chip on his shoulder about the mega corporations of the world. A personal vendetta that cost the lives of thousands, people innocent to the whole charade that were blown to pieces during Silverhand’s final act, or worse subject to acute radiation poisoning. Hard to choose which would be worse, V considered a sudden death would be her way to go. Far better than to rot within your own body.</p>
<p>‘That’s him, his memories are on that chip. But, V, I haven’t a clue how this type of tech works.’ A croak and dip in Vik’s voice betrayed what was left of his surety.</p>
<p>‘How? Vik please…’ There was an anguish of panic in V’s voice.</p>
<p>‘Valerie this is tech far beyond what a ripper knows what to do with…what I picked up on in the dozens of scans I did of your brain is that the chip worked to keep you alive. That bullet should have killed you but somehow it tipped the scale. Placing you temporarily in a state of purgatory between death and life before you regained consciousness.’		‘…a freak of nature.’ V mumbled unsure of what to say.						</p>
<p>‘No, more like a first aid kit. My best guess is that the chip activated when the static from the bullet raptured your skull, a spark of electricity lit the fuse so to speak. Killing and restarting the engine in an instant.’ Vik tried his best to make sense of the situation. Neurosurgery for optics was within his capabilities as a ripperdoc, but he was no braincell bending specialist. This memory alerting tech was completely alien to him.						</p>
<p>‘So, this chip of a terrorist is just enjoying free real estate inside my skull? Can we just remove the chip?’ Panic grew within V’s voice. Her thoughts fluttered towards disabling the chip herself, a simple process was her skull not already splitting in two already from each word she spoke. Vik slowly shook his head, if only it were that simple.</p>
<p>‘If it were that simple, I would have taken out the chip myself the moment I could. Or just told you to do once you were healed.’ Vik looked down pinching the bridge of his nose, ‘what that chip has done is mesh with the neural connectors, synapses, inside your skull. Where the bullet shattered your brain matter is where the engram now keeps you and itself functional.’	</p>
<p>‘It keeps me alive? Will it get worse? Override me?’						</p>
<p>‘I don’t know V…From the last scan I know that the engram connectors have only spread throughout the wounded part of your left cerebral hemisphere, there is no indication that the chip is aggressive and intends to function as an invasive body. You’ve been out for nearly a week V, I’ve run three scans every day on you to check its condition, it is at least a shred of good news. That and you are awake, talking…that in itself is a good sign.’ Vik knew he was grabbing at straws. He had finally accepted that there was little more he could understand about the chip yesterday. Though Vik wished he could, he could not say what may occur weeks or months down the line.</p>
<p>‘So, what is there now Vik?’ 		</p>
<p>‘Just time to heal.’ Vik turned and V heard Misty’s name, the lovely woman came into Vik’s clinic not too long after that. A wheelchair in front. After some effort Misty and Vik had V in the chair, Misty would take V back to her apartment in China Town.</p>
<p>The rest seemed like another blur to V. Misty stayed with her for the night, something about pills that were left on the floor by her bed. Then came the smell of food, Misty had ordered out Chinese food. The next morning V awoke to her empty apartment. Misty’s handbag was still on her lounge but the blonde haired woman was nowhere to be seen.			V slowly sat up. Her stomach in protest. It was then that V noticed a pair of boots to the left of her feet. Following them up she saw twiggy legs covered in well worn leather, a scruffy tank top then a silver arm prosthetic. </p>
<p>‘You look like shit.’ Johnny Silverhand.</p>
<p>V absently stared at Silverhand, it took her a moment to remember how to move. The figure glitched and framed along his edges but remained fully visible. Unamused he looked down through dark shades then itched his groin. V on the other hand voiced inside her head that he wasn’t really there, this was just a figment of her imagination.</p>
<p>‘Figment?’ Silverhand patted around his hips, searching for something. ‘Do you have a smoke?’</p>
<p>V shook her head, ‘no, kicked the habit three years ago.’ Silverhand replied with an unenthusiastic grunt to her answer, the projected figure than walked forward in an attempt to push V to the side as he strode past. His hand glitched as it passed straight through V, she felt a murmur on her right shoulder but nothing more. Like a soft breeze, that could unfortunately speak. </p>
<p>‘Oh shit.’ Silverhand attempted to punch V in the head but out of instinct she moved. The sudden action caused her to crumble to the ground. Groaning in pain. ‘Well, there you go. Don’t you look the picture of achievement.’	</p>
<p>‘Fuck you, asshole!’ V yelled.			</p>
<p>It was then that Misty came back into the room. Her phone in hand, she saw V on the ground and immediately rushed to help.		</p>
<p>‘V, lets get you back in bed.’ Much to V’s curiosity the eccentric woman did not mention V’s outburst. Neither was there any talk of the chip, it was easy to put it down to that Misty likely had little to say. But Misty always knew more than she let on, not quite in the conventional sense of knowing but deeper. Misty left V near noon once V showed she could manage to drag herself to the bathroom and sunken lounge, she prepared some chips for V by her bed and a bottle of water.				</p>
<p>Just as V was about to fall asleep, she heard his voice again. Opening her eyes she saw him, Johnny Silverhand was propped up on her lounge staring out of the open window, the city lights passing through his digital face.</p>
<p>‘This isn’t the end.’</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>There is nothing left. Day two of recovery. V lazily flung the bottle of water across the room. Staring at her ceiling she found a piece of white gum stuck on the paneling. </p><p>‘I hate this place too.’ V launched herself upright, leaning against her food machine was Johnny Silverhand. Faintly glitching but settling into focus the longer he remained. In a tank top and underwear V unconsciously reached for her sheets.</p><p>‘There really is no point, I am aware of what you do, when you change clothes and when you’re in the bathroom. Best was when you let one rip after your friend left.’ Johnny chuffed as he waved his hand dismissively. V did not know think there was a more embarrassing moment in her life than that revelation from Johnny.	</p><p>Dragging her legs over the side of the bed V stood and rounded towards Johnny, he remained lent up against the machine. V reached out towards his shoulder, at first Johnny considered moving, but he remained still to likewise see what would happen. Her hand passed through his shoulder as if he weren’t even there, not even a faint murmur was felt this time on her own body.  </p><p>‘I didn’t feel shit,’ Johnny boldly announced. He pushed off from the counter then walked towards her weapons room. V thought he might have disappeared, she noted that she did not feel a presence from him or an effect of him appearing and leaving. V turned around to see his figure flicker from one side of the weapons room to another, not walk but flicker. V wasn’t one to watch many horror films, but she was sure this would be the poorest quality of one, a ghost of a long dead rocker come terrorist who critiques her home and contents. </p><p>‘I was surprised to not find a cannon, I thought-’</p><p>‘Appear over there,’ V pointed to her apartment door. Johnny half cut off from his back-handed compliment paused then looked at the door. Quicker than V could blink he was gone but he did not appear by her door, instead Johnny sat on her lounge a displeased yet growing grin on his face. ‘You’re an ass.’</p><p>‘At least I can teleport.’</p><p>Her face fell into her hand, V groaned so loudly Johnny began to make comment only too be cut off by V once more. </p><p>‘The relic, relic, holy shit.’ At first V aimed to plonk herself on her bed but she stopped to instead lower herself slowly. ‘Arasaka, how did? How is this possible? You must be an advanced Ai.’</p><p>‘Eh, no. At least I don’t feel like one.’ Johnny began. ‘And, from your long-term memories you would have better chance at answering your own question.’ Johnny pointed.</p><p>V knew exactly what he was referring too, but what worried her was that he had some ability to access her memory. Johnny held up his hands in defense of himself.</p><p>‘Hey, it’s not like I wanted to know, I got as much of your memories as you seemed to get of mine.’</p><p>‘That is enough to gather an impression but not acquire the details, hm.’ V looked away from him, her window was still closed but on the edges the sunlight peeked through. She really did hate this apartment, but for the last two years she had kept it for its convince. And because Jackie had helped her move in, for a while V had wanted to take up Wakako on her offer of an apartment in Japantown. V had run the idea past Jackie once, she hoped he might help her move, instead he said that if she were to move, she should move back to Heywood. V could not, where she grew up was not the place she wanted to return.</p><p>‘Hey, Valerie.’</p><p>‘V.’</p><p>‘Its not like anyone else can hear me,’ Johnny scoffed. </p><p>V cocked her head sideways, ‘and how would you know?’ V had already noticed how speaking aloud was not necessary for her to communicate with Johnny but in truth she did not know if that were the same from his perspective.</p><p>Johnny disappeared for a moment, V thought maybe he finally had become bored and just left. However, when she heard him scream at the top of his lungs from somewhere outside of her apartment ‘can you hear me now?’ And more importantly no reply from any one of the residents in the hallway. Indeed it turned out she was the only person so lucky enough to hear Johnny Silverhand.  </p><p>Johnny reappeared in her apartment, this time standing in front of her, ‘so-’</p><p>‘-V.’</p><p>‘V. What are we going to do about this?’ It was the most mundane thing Johnny had said, in his life in fact. </p><p>V pondered for a moment. Slowly everything started to sink in, Jackie was gone, she had been murdered by Dex and now had a dead terrorist as mental company. V spotted her phone on counter of her sunken lounge. There were a dozen text messages, three from Misty and the same from Vik, two from Wakako, five from different clients she had worked with days prior to the heist and just one from Mama Welles. That was the one V answered, not in a text but a call.</p><p>‘Valerie.’ Mama Welles voice sounded relieved. V did not even notice as Johnny had returned to her weapons room to give her some space. And, to look at a katana on the wall. ‘It is good to hear from you mina.’	</p><p>‘Good to hear your voice too Mama Welles.’ V could not help but think of Jackie, what Mama Welles must have thought going out her front door to see him in the backseat of a car. There was a pause before V spoke again, ‘I ah…want to offer my condolences, for Jackie. I-’		</p><p>‘-You want to offer condolences, are we strangers? V you lived under my roof, ate the food from my table and returned Jackie to me. Do not treat me like some stranger.’			</p><p>‘I’m sorry Mama, I just, don’t know what to say.’ V’s voice cracked; she could feel as a hole was wrenched open in her chest.</p><p>‘I am planning an offrenda for Jacquito-’								</p><p>‘-When? I’ll be there.’ V shot out before she could even fully think the words.				</p><p>Mama Welles’s voice took on a somber tone, ‘thank you Valerie, I was hoping you’d be able to come once you had recovered.’ Little did V know but Mama Welles had waited to hold the offrenda, she wanted V to be able to attend. Her son she had placed in the columbarium five days after he had been returned to her. ‘It will be at the El Coyote Cojo in two days, twelve thirty in the afternoon. I’ll see you then Valerie, be safe.’		</p><p>‘You too Mama Welles,’ it was then that the call ended. V played with the device in hand before placing it on the shelf above her bed. Looking around her apartment V spotted the empty boxes of noodles and special fried rice that populated her sunken lounge, half-drunk bottles of vodka and three open chip packets. Were she to go back two years she would have never considered touching the stuff again. Of course, she would have only just stopped smoking, but cheap food wasn’t always her taste. For several years V had earnt enough eddies to buy real food or at least decent synth food and had an apartment with a kitchen to prepare it. Even if she did acquire the odd bottle of alcohol it was always a black label brand, stuff that would not be a substitute for rubbing alcohol.</p><p>‘You know, V, there is only one way the high and mighty can go once they’ve reached the top.’ Johnny materialized by her lounge.</p><p>‘Down, much like the nuke you placed in Arasaka tower back in the day.’ V stood from the bed, eyes locked on black shades.</p><p>‘Little harsh, but true.’</p><p>Little harsh, it was likely Johnny did not even know how many people he killed in just that night. V scoffed and went to take a shower. She need time to collect her thoughts and if she were to remain one moment more near that bed she would likely implode.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The smell of boiling synthetic meat mixed into a familiar bond with car fumes and rubbish. V hated that the smell rarely drew such revulsion from her anymore, she had lived in the streets and in the skies. One of those paths was far easier to adjust into -it was unfortunate that it was not the choice amongst the clouds.</p>
<p>
  <em>V, look at this. <em></em></em>
</p>
<p>The mental parasite named Johnny waved V over to a screen sheet on a bench. Kerry Eurodyne on page three. A tabloid rundown on his life, possible lovers and has-been history as a member of Samurai. V could name one or two songs but didn’t consider herself an avid fan, she happened to prefer more urban music. Rock was fine here and there but didn’t fill her playlist.</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>You have zero taste.<em> Johnny announced.</em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>‘You have zero say in the matter.’ <em> V countered. </em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em></em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>It was day three, Johnny had pestered V until one o’clock in the morning. Questions, opinions, lengthy lectures on the inherent evil of mega corporations with Arasaka naturally at the top of the list. Down in the streets of China Town V found some reprieve, Johnny was caught up in the dazzle and fizzle of Nightcity. He pointed, he yelled, he walked into traffic and flipped off passing cars with a smile. Johnny Silverhand was amazed at features he found familiar and quite condescending at those he deemed unworthy. For V it reminded her of when she was a child. Her parents would be in the front and her and pops in the back. Her grandfather would point out everything wrong in the city, whilst lecturing her on how things were better in his day. </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>A ping on her holo and V’s attention was drawn away from Johnny flipping off drivers and towards a vaguely familiar face. Realisation dawning on her who this man was the moment he came into animated view.</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>‘Finally. I had thought you may have died.’ What a lovely way to begin a conversation. V considered just hanging up on him but he continued to speak. ‘Now that you are awake, I require your help.’ His Japanese accent was very thick. He clearly did not speak English often. Being Saburo’s bodyguard he likely had little chance to speak beyond opportunistic moments of necessity. 	</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>‘What is it you want?’ V’s reply was gritted between her teeth. <em>Just hang up<em>. Johnny’s voice answered her in her mind. ‘You know, why should I even help you? Just so you can-’	</em></em></p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>‘I helped to save your life. You would still be lying in the dump where your body had been tossed following the reck.’ V didn’t remember a reck, if her injuries were anything to go by it was possible. Her final memory was barking back to Dex before a solid hand clipped the side of her head, then a pistol aimed at her face. Following that she awoke at Vik’s.	</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>‘What’s it to you then? Think I can help with I dunno…really I don’t even know what you want.’	</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Negotiation really isn’t one of your strong suits is it?</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em></em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em></em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>‘Shut it, Johnny.’</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em></em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em></em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>Takemura looked on through the holo with a blank stare, there was a murmur of thought on his face. He likely thought her a stupid merc.</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em></em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em></em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>‘All I need is a moment of your time to talk. I will send you the details after this.’ At that the Arasaka ninja disappeared from her holo screen. In a handful of seconds after V received a series of messages from Takemura. 	</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em></em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em></em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>Tom’s Diner.</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em></em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em></em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>12.35 pm</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em></em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em></em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>Do not keep me waiting.</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em></em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em></em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>V scanned her internal clock the time was eleven forty nine. Tom’s was a solid fifteen minute walk from her current location. Strangely enough V felt a little voice in the back of her head telling her to go, it certainly wasn’t Johnny but V wasn’t about to head home.	</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em></em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em></em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>Tom’s diner was nothing special. Neither too dingy that V did not want to sit on the seats nor too fancy that her blush of bruises on her face and neck would stand out from the regulars. V wore sunglasses and simple clothes that were mainly chosen for their level of comfort, black trackies that tapered at her ankles, off grey sneakers with navy laces. Finally an orange hoodie with the word chill printed on the front. She looked like a witch’s hat but felt like she was cuddled up on her bed with ten blankets.</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em></em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em></em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>Takemura on the other hand looked like a ruffled corpo who got lost on his lunch break looking for a place where no one would recognise him. Off white shirt, black dress pants and formal shoes he looked rather out of place in a place such as this.<br/>

He didn’t even look at V before telling her to sit. V could already tell she was going to really appreciate rocking up to this corpo’s diner date.	</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em></em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em></em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Why couldn’t we have gone to a bar?<em> Johnny whinged on the windowsill. 				</em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em></em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em></em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>‘So,’ V settled down her coffee as she got comfortable. It wasn’t her first time at Tom’s but she wasn’t a regular. The coffee would be either too bitter or too sweet, the temperature would be rivalling the surface of the sun then icy cold in about ten minutes.<br/>

<em>Great. Once your coffee has turned to shit, we can leave.<em></em></em></p><p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em></em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em></em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>‘V, you look far better than when I last saw you.’ The Arasaka bodyguard clasped his hands just under his chin. Mantis blades. V recognised the markings easily; she had a pair herself though she figured not of the same quality. Jackie had always thought her silly for holding onto her pair from her days at Arasaka, the only piece of tech she had kept before being booted from the company. One thing Jackie did admit was they were deadly.			</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em></em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em></em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>‘Vik is the best.’ V said off handily staring down to her coffee cup, tapping the side lightly for unconscious comfort. Even if there was a ripper that could stitch her up better it was Vik that had her trust. 	</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em></em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em></em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>‘He did what not many others could do, you should be thankful to have him as a friend.’ Takemura looked out of the window briefly. V settled her eyes on the Arasaka employee, she wouldn’t deny he was handsome, a silver fox in simple terms. A small sigh escaped him, V wouldn’t call it nerves but Takemura was clearly hyper attentive, he had good reason to be.	</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em></em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em></em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>‘Why are you here talking to me, Takemura?’ The use of his name drew his attention firmly back to her. ‘Shouldn’t you be back at Arasaka HQ? Guarding Yorinobu or whatever Arasaka body they set you on.’ V then slid off the sunglasses she had been wearing since she had walked into the diner. Her Koroshi optics were not only special for being one of the best optical techs on the market but Vik had hers customised, her eyes whilst naturally were a soft blue now displayed a unique hue of blue goldstone. The colour distracted Takemura for a brief, fleeting moment that V did not fail to notice.		</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em></em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em></em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em></em>
</p>
<p>‘No. I am no longer welcome there. I have been cast out.’ Takemura unclasped his hands and begun to tap his fingers on the table. An old memory crept up on V, she wasn’t going to share it with Takemura however and let it fade to the background.<br/>

<em>Boo-hoo. Can we leave?<em></em></em></p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em></em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em></em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>‘So, how does this concern me?’ V slipped on her coffee it was still slightly too hot, but she drank it anyway.</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em></em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em></em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>Takemura waited for her to finish, ‘I saved your life. Now I wish to call in the debt.’</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em></em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em></em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>V held up one finger, ‘firstly Vik did most of the saving.’ Second finger, ‘secondly, I’m not currently dead or dying.’ Third finger, ‘thirdly, I could easily wash my hands of you and leave.’</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em></em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em></em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>Johnny turned from his position on the windowsill and arched a digital eyebrow at V. <em>Shit V, guy probably has some feelings you know. Talk about a verbal kick in the balls.<em></em></em></p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em></em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em></em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>Takemura stewed on her words, V was just about to speak again when he finally answered.</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em></em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em></em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>‘That is all true. But I know that the relic is something you will want removed and from what I heard that is not an easy task. You will require specialists.’ Takemura leaned forward his elbows resting on the bench, ‘I have contacts within Arasaka that will make that procedure possible. You only need help me in one matter-’</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em></em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em></em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>‘One matter, do tell what is this matter?’ V cut through. She was eager to turn the conversation away from her problems and keep them on Takemura’s.</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em></em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em></em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>Takemura ever so slightly narrowed his eyes, the American was getting on his nerves, all of them. V could see it the faint cracks in the poised solider, he had held out for a while. </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em></em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em></em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>‘Yorinobu must be held accountable for his crimes.’</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em></em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em></em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>‘You want justice? In Nightcity? Do I look like a lawyer? Or a genie?’ V leaned forward to emphasize her point matching his position.</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em></em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em></em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>Takemura took a moment to understand her, ‘no, I only want revenge. Much more feasible.’ Takemura returned his hands to a dignified clasp as he rested back against his seat. V smirked as she leaned back into her seat thinking over Takemura’s words.</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em></em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em></em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>V don’t get roped into this corpo dog’s final run. Just poof yourself outta here.<em></em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>
                          <em></em>
                        </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>
                          <em></em>
                        </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>‘How do you plan to get your revenge? What role do expect me to play?’ V added all the snark she could into her final question. This in her opinion was a dead end, anything associated with Arasaka she had to avoid. Vik’s generous nature in fiddling with her tech and her own tampering let her remain undetected from surveillance cameras but the naked eye and scorned memories were harder to blur.</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>
                          <em></em>
                        </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>
                          <em></em>
                        </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>‘For now, all I need from your is your word that you will help and not leave the city. My plan will require several elements. Firstly, I must speak to Evelynn Parker.’ Takemura gestured casually as if they were talking about the weather.</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>
                          <em></em>
                        </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>
                          <em></em>
                        </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>‘Ev? You think she will help you?’ in truth V also wanted to find her. There were certain elements she wished to go over with the woman. </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>
                          <em></em>
                        </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>
                          <em></em>
                        </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>Takemura smirked briefly, ‘she and Yorinobu had intimate relations.’</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>
                          <em></em>
                        </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>
                          <em></em>
                        </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>‘Yes, that is how dolls work, Takemura. It doesn’t mean she knew his pins, read his emails or organised his office.’ V wanted to challenge him, just to see how far he was willing to take his own bullshit.</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>
                          <em></em>
                        </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>
                          <em></em>
                        </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>‘How do you know her?’</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>
                          <em></em>
                        </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>
                          <em></em>
                        </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>‘She was his Nightcity doll, of course I found out about her. Prepared for the job, not the outcome.’ V kept her voice level, acceptable and respectful with a hint of mockery. It reminded her of her life before the streets beckoned her back.</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>
                          <em></em>
                        </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>
                          <em></em>
                        </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>Takemura hid half of his face behind his clasped hands. Sighing softly.</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>
                          <em></em>
                        </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>
                          <em></em>
                        </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>‘What of Anders Hellman?’ V asked.</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>
                          <em></em>
                        </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>
                          <em></em>
                        </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>‘How do you know this name?’ V cocked her head to the side, that was a rather naive question. Takemura recognised the same a moment after the words tumbled from his mouth. ‘You prepared well then, I am surprised you did not know Arasaka-sama and I would be in attendance.’</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>
                          <em></em>
                        </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>
                          <em></em>
                        </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>V smiled, ‘much would have been different if that little detail were known. Nonetheless, Hellman his role as a technician that would lend him nicely to my aid.’ V was constructing Takemura’s offer for him at this point. </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>
                          <em></em>
                        </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>
                          <em></em>
                        </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>‘Yes, however he has not been easy to find. The expression you have in America -fallen off the face of the Earth, would suit him. I tried to speak with people who would possibly know where he was located.’ </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>
                          <em></em>
                        </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>
                          <em></em>
                        </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>This peeked V’s attention, she tried her best to not let it show on her face.</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>
                          <em></em>
                        </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>
                          <em></em>
                        </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>V, you’re near worse than him. Remind me of…<em></em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>
                          <em>
                            <em>
                              <em></em>
                            </em>
                          </em>
                        </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>
                          <em>
                            <em>
                              <em></em>
                            </em>
                          </em>
                        </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>‘The Queen of Fixers, Rogue however she did not wish to speak with me. She wanted to have nothing to do with someone tied to this business.’ Takemura looked briefly back to the window.</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>
                          <em>
                            <em>
                              <em></em>
                            </em>
                          </em>
                        </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>
                          <em>
                            <em>
                              <em></em>
                            </em>
                          </em>
                        </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>‘Interesting. Rogue isn’t known for her like of corpos, especially those associated with Arasaka.’ V drummed her fingers on the table between them.</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>
                          <em>
                            <em>
                              <em></em>
                            </em>
                          </em>
                        </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>
                          <em>
                            <em>
                              <em></em>
                            </em>
                          </em>
                        </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>‘The woman is detestable. If you seek to pester her further know that she will not speak for free…if she bothers to talk to you at all.’ Takemura mulled over his words remembering the ordeal unfavourably.</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>
                          <em>
                            <em>
                              <em></em>
                            </em>
                          </em>
                        </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>
                          <em>
                            <em>
                              <em></em>
                            </em>
                          </em>
                        </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>‘I’ll keep that in mind. But whilst I chase geese what will you be doing? Sending love letters to Arasaka?’ </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>
                          <em>
                            <em>
                              <em></em>
                            </em>
                          </em>
                        </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>
                          <em>
                            <em>
                              <em></em>
                            </em>
                          </em>
                        </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>‘No. I will be in contact with associates within the company, people I can trust.’ </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>
                          <em>
                            <em>
                              <em></em>
                            </em>
                          </em>
                        </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>
                          <em>
                            <em>
                              <em></em>
                            </em>
                          </em>
                        </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Really?<em></em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>
                          <em>
                            <em>
                              <em>
                                <em>
                                  <em></em>
                                </em>
                              </em>
                            </em>
                          </em>
                        </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>
                          <em>
                            <em>
                              <em>
                                <em>
                                  <em></em>
                                </em>
                              </em>
                            </em>
                          </em>
                        </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>‘Really?’<em></em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>
                          <em>
                            <em>
                              <em>
                                <em>
                                  <em>
                                    <em>
                                      <em></em>
                                    </em>
                                  </em>
                                </em>
                              </em>
                            </em>
                          </em>
                        </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>
                          <em>
                            <em>
                              <em>
                                <em>
                                  <em>
                                    <em>
                                      <em></em>
                                    </em>
                                  </em>
                                </em>
                              </em>
                            </em>
                          </em>
                        </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>Takemura then stopped, a news program took his attention. On the tv was Hanako Arasaka, neither caught much of the program before it was switched to a different channel. Takemura rose to complain but the barista cared little for it. V thought to wave Takemura down but instead waited, observed how the cast-away sort to conduct himself. He was bitterly dressed down, returning to his seat across from her -she had some sympathy for him. </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>
                          <em>
                            <em>
                              <em>
                                <em>
                                  <em>
                                    <em>
                                      <em></em>
                                    </em>
                                  </em>
                                </em>
                              </em>
                            </em>
                          </em>
                        </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>
                          <em>
                            <em>
                              <em>
                                <em>
                                  <em>
                                    <em>
                                      <em></em>
                                    </em>
                                  </em>
                                </em>
                              </em>
                            </em>
                          </em>
                        </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>‘Remember you aren’t in Arasaka’s care anymore...people here don’t give a rats for corpos. Toms’ a good guy but he like many others here feel the same about the likes of the Arasakas.’</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>
                          <em>
                            <em>
                              <em>
                                <em>
                                  <em>
                                    <em>
                                      <em></em>
                                    </em>
                                  </em>
                                </em>
                              </em>
                            </em>
                          </em>
                        </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>
                          <em>
                            <em>
                              <em>
                                <em>
                                  <em>
                                    <em>
                                      <em></em>
                                    </em>
                                  </em>
                                </em>
                              </em>
                            </em>
                          </em>
                        </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>Takemura shook his head slightly, ‘for a moment he reminded me of my father. He too worked in a kitchen.’</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>
                          <em>
                            <em>
                              <em>
                                <em>
                                  <em>
                                    <em>
                                      <em></em>
                                    </em>
                                  </em>
                                </em>
                              </em>
                            </em>
                          </em>
                        </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>
                          <em>
                            <em>
                              <em>
                                <em>
                                  <em>
                                    <em>
                                      <em></em>
                                    </em>
                                  </em>
                                </em>
                              </em>
                            </em>
                          </em>
                        </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Great now you’ve done it. Gonna get his life story.<em></em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>
                          <em>
                            <em>
                              <em>
                                <em>
                                  <em>
                                    <em>
                                      <em>
                                        <em>
                                          <em></em>
                                        </em>
                                      </em>
                                    </em>
                                  </em>
                                </em>
                              </em>
                            </em>
                          </em>
                        </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>
                          <em>
                            <em>
                              <em>
                                <em>
                                  <em>
                                    <em>
                                      <em>
                                        <em>
                                          <em></em>
                                        </em>
                                      </em>
                                    </em>
                                  </em>
                                </em>
                              </em>
                            </em>
                          </em>
                        </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>Takemura went to stand, surprisingly he rested a hand on V’s shoulder. ‘Please, if you find any information on Hellman or the Parker woman let me know.’ </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>
                          <em>
                            <em>
                              <em>
                                <em>
                                  <em>
                                    <em>
                                      <em>
                                        <em>
                                          <em></em>
                                        </em>
                                      </em>
                                    </em>
                                  </em>
                                </em>
                              </em>
                            </em>
                          </em>
                        </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>
                          <em>
                            <em>
                              <em>
                                <em>
                                  <em>
                                    <em>
                                      <em>
                                        <em>
                                          <em></em>
                                        </em>
                                      </em>
                                    </em>
                                  </em>
                                </em>
                              </em>
                            </em>
                          </em>
                        </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>V remained seated as the Arasaka dog left Tom's. The barista mumbled about corpos once Takemura was outside of the diner. Johnny flickered away from the window and sat in the seat where Takemura had been.</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>
                          <em>
                            <em>
                              <em>
                                <em>
                                  <em>
                                    <em>
                                      <em>
                                        <em>
                                          <em></em>
                                        </em>
                                      </em>
                                    </em>
                                  </em>
                                </em>
                              </em>
                            </em>
                          </em>
                        </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>
                          <em>
                            <em>
                              <em>
                                <em>
                                  <em>
                                    <em>
                                      <em>
                                        <em>
                                          <em></em>
                                        </em>
                                      </em>
                                    </em>
                                  </em>
                                </em>
                              </em>
                            </em>
                          </em>
                        </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>So, V what are we to do now?<em></em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>
                          <em>
                            <em>
                              <em>
                                <em>
                                  <em>
                                    <em>
                                      <em>
                                        <em>
                                          <em>
                                            <em>
                                              <em></em>
                                            </em>
                                          </em>
                                        </em>
                                      </em>
                                    </em>
                                  </em>
                                </em>
                              </em>
                            </em>
                          </em>
                        </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>
                          <em>
                            <em>
                              <em>
                                <em>
                                  <em>
                                    <em>
                                      <em>
                                        <em>
                                          <em>
                                            <em>
                                              <em></em>
                                            </em>
                                          </em>
                                        </em>
                                      </em>
                                    </em>
                                  </em>
                                </em>
                              </em>
                            </em>
                          </em>
                        </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>‘Drink my shit coffee.’<em></em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>
                          <em>
                            <em>
                              <em>
                                <em>
                                  <em>
                                    <em>
                                      <em>
                                        <em>
                                          <em>
                                            <em>
                                              <em>
                                                <em>
                                                  <em></em>
                                                </em>
                                              </em>
                                            </em>
                                          </em>
                                        </em>
                                      </em>
                                    </em>
                                  </em>
                                </em>
                              </em>
                            </em>
                          </em>
                        </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>
                          <em>
                            <em>
                              <em>
                                <em>
                                  <em>
                                    <em>
                                      <em>
                                        <em>
                                          <em>
                                            <em>
                                              <em>
                                                <em>
                                                  <em></em>
                                                </em>
                                              </em>
                                            </em>
                                          </em>
                                        </em>
                                      </em>
                                    </em>
                                  </em>
                                </em>
                              </em>
                            </em>
                          </em>
                        </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter 6</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>‘Talk to you later, Wakako.’ V blew out her cheeks then begun to tidy up a small stack of magazines. Checking her internal clock, it was three thirty-four in the afternoon. Following her diner date with Takemura V had returned to her apartment and contacted Wakako, V had decided she would accept the offer of relocating.</p>
<p>
  <em>You’re distracting yourself, V.</em>
</p>
<p>Johnny lent against the window as V remained seated on her lounge. She ignored him and kept her attention on cleaning the table.</p>
<p>
  <em>V, I can feel your emotions. Its like standing next to a bonfire.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>‘Johnny, please. Be quiet.’</em>
</p>
<p>V picked up the two paper plates and tossed them into the bin. Sitting at her desk it wouldn’t take long for Wakako’s email to come through but whilst V waited she surfed the local net. All the news sites were full of articles about Saburo Arasaka and the attack on Kompeki Plaza. One article by N54 news consisted of a small piece on the Delamain service.</p>
<p>Her fingers itched at the thought. Everything had been deafeningly silent. She hadn’t heard from Dex -not that she expected too. Nor had V heard from T-Bug in anyway shape or form. V had known of T-Bug well before she had formally met the woman, in her prior life V had the chance to eliminate the Netrunner’s existence during a routine run. The choice to let one another operate without harm turned into a mutually benefitual acquaintanceship. Neither persons asked questions of one another’s internal affairs but without discord shared information when the time arose. </p>
<p>-Status?</p>
<p>V went back to reading articles on world news and affairs. Fuel concerns, food shortages and breakthroughs then the ever-present troubles over crime in Nightcity. With a deep breath V turned away from her computer. Her knees ached from sitting down for so long. She looked to her weapons cabinet, it needed to be reorganised.</p>
<p>
  <em>If you’re planning on moving why bother?</em>
</p>
<p>Her bathroom could also do with a once over, she needed to buy toilet paper soon too.</p>
<p>
  <em>V?</em>
</p>
<p>Standing V went to her bed, she propped up her pillows then pulled up the blankets. There was a single sock on the ground its pair nowhere in sight. </p>
<p><em>Jesus Christ, V!</em>

Johnny’s hands flew up to his hair pushing it flat against his skull. V took in several deep breaths. She would not start screaming at a voice in her head. She would not stare at a man that no one else could see.</p>
<p>Pulling off her shirt and pants V went to her bathroom. Her body was still littered in spots of bluish-green bruises and several stray cuts the longest of which rested on her right forearm. She looked at reflection, it was the first time in years she could barely stand to look at herself. A hollowness crawled up from her stomach, spreading across her chest. Heat rushed down her face and neck. With force V turned away from the mirror to stand in her shower, the water cold on her skin sent a spear of ice down her back.</p>
<p>Back by her sunken lounge Johnny sat with his elbows on his knees. There was nothing he could do to help, and he knew his presence would only make matters worse. V’s phone lit up on the table. There was only a single word tagged to the name Bug.</p>
<p>-Alive</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Return of T-Bug...</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>8. Chapter 8</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The taste of whisky burned the back of V’s throat. The El Coyte Cojo was a hum of demur conversation. V couldn’t keep still. She comforted Mama Welles, encouraged her respectfully to talk to Misty. Misty, V had found her earlier by Jackie’s locker, rapping the woman up in a tight hug V wasn’t sure who needed it more. With Vik and Pepe V had raised a toast to Jackie.</p><p>Two people by a corner round table called V over, V didn’t immediately recognise them, but she recognised they were members of the Valentinos.</p><p>‘To Jackie,’ the man held up a shot. Gustavo Orta Internally V knew drinking these various shots would catch up with her later but for the time she let the thought be buried far in the back of her mind.</p><p>‘To Jackie.’ All three drunk at the same time, as V returned the glass to the table.</p><p>‘You, V? Right?’ The man gestured with his shot glass towards V.</p><p>‘That she is, you chooms of Jackie’s when he was running with the Valentinos?’</p><p>‘That we are…were. He always had heart for his people, but Jackie…Jackie didn’t have his heart there, his family wasn’t defined by what we,’ he rounded his hand at the two others at the table, ‘what we share. He will still be remembered, a true son of Heywood.’</p><p>V nodded. Before she left the bar V visited Mama Welles once more.</p><p>‘Valerie come by for dinner sometime. Please, do not be a stranger mija.’ Mama Welles held V in a hug both savouring the comfort. A tap on her shoulder drew her attention to the respectable face of Padre.</p><p>‘V, I will see you upstairs.’ The priest nodded to Mama Welles and left for the empty second level. </p><p>V found Padre leaning against the railing overlooking the proceedings below. With a solemn expression V matched Padre’s posture. The elderly man let out a shallow breath.</p><p>‘It is the worst possible thing to do, to bury one’s child. A only child no less.’ V remained silent as Padre continued. She twisted her hands, fingers interlocked with one another. ‘Since that night there has been a shift V, from the high and mighty of the world to the corners of the Cojo. I will not ask you what happened that night. All I request is that you don’t let your troubles bleed to this home, Heywood will always be your roots whether you wish it different does not matter.’</p><p>‘I understand.’ V said softly.</p><p>Padre reached out to her hand giving it a small squeeze before letting her go.</p><p>‘It will be some time before I call on you again V. Go with God.’ </p><p>V did not expect to have Padre’s words hit her like so, like a shard of ice straight into her heart she felt the cool burn over her entire body. At first glance it would seem that Padre’s words were too harsh, overstepped and born of a place lacking clear judgement. He was not a fool, and V knew if the growing storm loomed over this home far more would perish once the rain began to pour. </p><p>V made her way back to her motorbike at the back of the bar. Her green Kusanagi looked out of place in Heywood, a native design to the northern side of the city. Tomorrow she would get a taxi and return for Jackie’s Nazare.</p><p>
  <em>It is the right thing to do. What the old man said, if I were in his position, I would toss you out as well.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>‘Please, Johnny.’</em>
</p><p>
  <em>V how does someone go from bring raised in the streets to working at Arasaka, then tossed to the side and back down to the streets? They set themselves up for it. You turned your back on them, then when things got tough came crawling back.</em>
</p><p><em>‘Shut-up!’</em> V swung one leg over the bike and started the engine, roaring the bike to life. <em>‘You have no right to judge me. No say in my life. But what about your past Johnny, how many people did you leave behind on your quest of terror? How many lives did you end for nothing! At least I only stuffed up my own life! I didn’t drag others down with me.’</em></p><p>Johnny remained silent. He was still present, both hands on the handles of her bike legs between the front wheel. He had removed his glasses and stared into V eyes. If he weren’t already a presence within her mind, she would think he was trying to read her very soul. </p><p>
  <em>You don’t understand. Think about why we are here.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>‘No. No, you can’t use that on me.’</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Your choom died because of a heist, or because you didn’t watch his back during the fire.</em>
</p><p>V pulled out a one of vik’s pills, swallowing it dry it would take a moment to kick in.</p><p><em>‘You have no say Johnny, on my life, my past decisions and definitely not what happened to Jackie. You know nothing about this place.’</em> V gestured to the area around them, <em>‘nor the people here.’</em></p><p>Without allowing him time to speak again V took off on her bike. Part of her wished it were possible to leave Johnny behind in the carpark. That was how she had treated many people, Jackie a decade ago, when she had told him she had been offered a job at Arasaka he said it was the job or family. V left him behind in that same carpark only years later to beg for help. Jackie forgave her, he took her in when she had not an eddie to her name. Jackie and Mama Welles gave her a bed to rest her head and food to fill her belly, it took a while for others native to the area to accept her. V found it easier to live in China Town for that reason, she was not a permanent presence in Heywood but she was a known face. Those that remembered the scruffy young girl that pickpocketed then hotwired cars from unsuspecting victims looked at her now as an outcast -outcasted by her own choices, her own doing.</p><p>V didn’t hold malice over them for it. She made her choice, no matter how much at times she wished she had chosen different she always knew that Heywood would not be the place she was born to die in. A chance at a better life, a stable life without street level violence that was what she had dreamt for herself. For a time, she had it, she had all that she thought too ever what. It was not a blessing turned into a curse, but a blessing tainted by greed and torn out from under her.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>9. Chapter 9</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>V did not head straight home. Crossing over to Watson she headed towards Kabuki. There was a single place she desired to visit and a particular woman she sort to meet. Idling in traffic V felt a buzz on her phone, switching the call to her holo she answered with a groan towards the caller.</p><p>‘Takemura.’</p><p>Takemura had not expected the call would be redirected from her phone to her holo and so was not prepared to see V. It was not that she appeared anything out of the ordinary, not even when traffic began to move, and the background shifted uncomfortably. He simply did not know one could switch calls from a device to a personal holo.</p><p>‘V, I have had some success in contacting my people.’ His voice was gravely, more so than normal. V wondered if he smoked.</p><p>‘And?’ V asked as she turned right and towards Kabuki district. The Mox would only be a hop-skip and jump away. Hopefully Takemura would be done before she arrived at the club. V briefly focused on Takemura, unlike her own background Takemura’s gave nothing away to his location, behind him was a black wall. Nothing of note.</p><p>‘It will take some more time to establish a link of confidence given the situation. They have accepted the opportunity but wait for the opportune time. We must be patient…V, I also have something else to ask of you.’</p><p>Ahead of her was a tediously slow micro car. Faded grey with several bullet holes. V overtook the car in a matter of seconds. There was some level of curiosity she had for Takemura, she wondered given enough time how much information she may be able to probe from him. Information was the next best form of currency after eddies, and like eddies it was dangerous to have in large quantities just as it was to have none.</p><p>‘Shoot.’</p><p>‘I need eddies. Since my absence from Arasaka I am unable to use my accounts.’</p><p>V mulled over the request. It was favourable to help him -that was if he would honour her generosity later. Likewise, she could refuse on the most basic of grounds -she may not want to lend him money, but where that would leave them down the road was likely an uneasy position.</p><p>‘How much do you need?’ Whilst her funds were not anywhere near as plentiful as they had once been, V was not in an uncomfortable position. She had eddies to burn to a point.</p><p>‘Two thousand.’</p><p>‘Fine. I’ll need the account info.’</p><p>‘Just like that? You’re not going to ask what I need this for? It that an easy amount for you to just throw away?’ Takemura was genuinely surprised she had even agreed, concerned he was at how easily. He knew before asking her that any money she had was likely from her shady dealings, but he was desperate, and she was the only person he could ask with some faint measure of possible success.</p><p>‘I don’t ask you what for, and you don’t ask questions of me. That is the best way to do this, Takemura.’</p><p>Nonetheless Takemura sent V the information for his fake account. It was somewhere between a legal bank account and one which could land him a visit to the NCPD HQ. In moments of desperation, one must not be too picky.</p><p>‘Done.’ V said as she slowed down for a corner.</p><p>The funds transferred into his account within a few seconds. A welcomed sum to the half a dozen eddies he had retained. V spurred an idea in that moment, this micro link to Takemura -coupled with his number, could come in handy once she was home. For now, she would keep her netrunning ventures to herself, her new apartment will be fitted with a shiny new netrunning chair. Once everything was ready in that regard searching up on Takemura would be fourth or fifth on her priority list. For now, she would busy herself with the physical world.</p><p>Ahead of her the neon sign of the Mox’s mascot flickered on the building’s front. Two bouncers rested on the side of the building, V knew both in a personal and non-personal manner. Scanning key people was once part of her everyday life, in some ways V found it easier to just know a little more about people than they were going to ever share. Some people’s records were easier to access than others, for instance Rita used to play baseball as a child, however a downturn of family life and a run in with the wrong people set fire to any idea of a professional career by the time she was fifteen. Those pieces of information were collected from scanning her files as well as sharing a few drinks.</p><p>‘V?’</p><p>‘Mh, yeah?’</p><p>‘Thank you. I-’</p><p>In a blurted manner V advised Takemura on a proposition, the thought came from the back of her mind in an abstract manner.</p><p>‘If you’re looking to make a few eddies on the side I know of two fixers that may work with you, by passing your former employer.’</p><p>Takemura paused, ‘My former employer. Mmh V from what I understand my position would not be looked upon favourably.’</p><p>‘Yeah, no shit. Same could be said for me, possibly worse.’ She grumbled under her breath. ‘You’re not native to NC so at least try to use that to your advantage, think of Switzerland Takemura.’</p><p>‘Japan is not a neutral country.’</p><p>V stopped herself for a moment from saying anything else. Had she just tried to make a joke with Takemura? She was no comedian, rather laughed at her own jokes whilst everyone would stare straight faced.</p><p>‘Wakako Okada -fixer Dame of Westbrook. And, Regina Jones -fixer of Watson. Both ladies offer decent money with solid jigs. Give them a call an see if something can be worked out.’</p><p>V sent him their respective numbers. She did not provide him with their locations, if they requested to meet him in person that would be between fixer and merc. Funny it was that V had recommended such work to Takemura. He may just learn how desperate some people become and how far they may go to survive.</p><p>‘I will not commit illegal actives for money.’</p><p>Or not.</p><p>‘Doesn’t your moral compass allow you too? I thought be-’</p><p>‘No. It is a dishonourable way to earn money.’</p><p>‘But begging isn’t?’</p><p>Takemura paused, he wanted to tell her that begging at times was not a dishonourable act but one to ensure basic survival. A practise observed by monks for example. But that same could be said for those jobs -thievery, murder, inciting fear. The lengths people would go to stay alive could be so far that they may not even recognise themselves by the end.</p><p>V also bit her tongue in thought. Maybe Takemura was one of the lucky few, maybe life for him in Japan had not been like life for her in Night City. A place without the need for shanking someone in the street to steal fifty eddies to buy food for hungry stomachs or tires for a new ride. As far as V knew Arasaka HQ in Japan was a far more rigorous establishment than the transplant in Night City. V’s background as a hardworking student from a low incoming family had earned her a scholarship for the disadvantaged. Her leg in the door was mostly by opportune chance.</p><p>‘I’m sorry Takemura, just forget it. Delete their numbers so they can’t be tracked just in case.’</p><p>Takemura did not reply immediately. He like V wanted the conversation to both end and return five minutes into the past before the topic of fixers was broached.</p><p>‘Be safe, V.’</p><p>‘You t-’ the screen was black.</p><p>
  <span class="u">___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________</span>
</p><p>‘Hey, doll. Bar’s closed, have to come back in a few hours.’ Rita came off from the wall as V approached. The bitter taste of her conversation hot on her tongue.</p><p>‘I’m only here to see Judy, Rita, is she in her den?’</p><p>Rita nodded, ‘sure is. I’ll tell her you’re coming down.’</p><p>V overheard a conversation between two Moxes, one was wanting to return to the club the other told her the chances were slim. V spotted the bartender and briefly they shared a gaze before he flung his towel over his shoulder and turned away. Ignoring the two Moxes by the back-room door V far too casually trailed down towards Judy’s den. Once on the lower levels she could hear Judy’s voice and another, an in-house conversation on strays and Judy recommending the Mox to those in need. V rolled her eyes as the likely owner of the Mox sarcastically mentioned her as a guest as she went back upstairs.</p><p>‘Evelynn, where is she?’</p><p>Judy was perched on her chair, one arm resting on her desk. A vail of thick annoyance on her face at the mention of Evelynn’s name.</p><p>‘Want her just so you can push the blame onto her for your fucked up heist? Get stuffed.’</p><p>A pang tore across V’s skull. She closed her eyes as it passed. Opening them to see Judy looking at the monitors in front of her. She grimaced as she turned on her chair towards V.</p><p>‘Didn’t hear what I said, fuck-off!’</p><p>‘I just want to know who she was working with.’</p><p>Drawing her eyebrows in at the thought, ‘that’s it? Sure, you don’t want to also put a bullet in her skull?’</p><p>V was temped to laugh at the thought, but no she had zero intentions of doing such a thing to Evelynn. Her own experience with the matter soured another part of her tongue that was already in need of a rinse.</p><p>‘No. Evelynn will remain alive even after I have asked her a few questions, I merely wish to know where she is so we can talk.’</p><p>Judy pursed her lips as she turned back to her monitors, ‘she isn’t here.’</p><p>‘Obviously.’</p><p>Snapping her head towards V, ‘I don’t know where Ev is.’</p><p>This was rather, expected. V walked over to the Netrunner chair, sitting on the footrest.</p><p>‘Any ideas?’</p><p>Judy bounced back into her chair, ‘Ev went back to clouds a few days after the heist blew up better than Arasaka tower.’ Quite the unnecessary comparison at the moment, V thought to herself, also thankful that Johnny was temporarily banished from the front passenger seat. ‘I haven’t heard from her since.’</p><p>Drawing in a sharp breath V felt the exact moment Night City delivered another kick in the south. It was rather expected but part of her had hoped that by some miracle the one person more closely tied to an Arasaka than Takemura had managed to survived.</p><p>‘Is there anywhere else she would be? Her apartment, possibly laying low with someone else?’</p><p>The mention of another party visibly affronted Judy. V saw right through her the first time they met, Evelynn had Judy wrapped around her pinkie finger and the little editor appeared all too happy to just be there. Whether or not there was anything between them did not matter in the slightest to V, what she did take note of however was how Evelynn manipulated people. It was a distinct mark of character that V did not dismiss in the slightest.</p><p>‘I-I don’t think so…Ev, kept few people close. She would have told me.’</p><p>‘Not if she knew someone may be able to tie you to her.’ Judy’s shoulders sunk. V watched as every possible thought of deception crossed the young woman’s mind. In V’s own thirty years she had seen this exact sight several times, some of those times in herself. And just like her and many others Judy came to the one conclusion that helped the heart but did little for the soul.</p><p>‘No, Ev could trust me.’ Judy held a stable of fierceness in her eyes.</p><p>‘Alright, so Clouds. That was where she said she was going?’</p><p>Judy nodded, pointing to a cigarette case on her desk. ‘That is Evelynn’s case, in there is a card for Clouds with the address.’</p><p>V knew the way to Clouds. Soon her apartment would share the same building, for better or worse given the track outlook. V took the case anyway, the action seemed best given the fact that Judy even offered one of Evelynn’s possessions to her. Making her leave Judy called out to V before she was gone.</p><p>‘V,’ Judy stood from her chair. ‘When you find her, could you give me a call? I would really appreciate it.’</p><p>V pulled out her phone, unlocking it and handing it to Judy to add her number.</p><p>‘Sure, Judy. Any news, I’ll call.’</p><p>‘Thanks, V.’</p><p>In comparison to her conversation with Takemura V felt much better about this one ending. With a hopeful chance of finding Evelynn in the air V sat on her bike a bit easier. Her phone buzzed in her jacket pocket just before she started her bike.</p><p>
  <em>V?</em>
</p><p>The message was from T Bug. V had seen her reply the from the day before. She had not replied, given her state at the time she was tempted to call and just scream at the Netrunner. The action would do nothing for either of them, so V had simply said nothing.</p><p>
  <em>We need to talk. In person.</em>
</p><p>V started up her bike. Her phone buzzing once more.</p><p>
  <em>By the boxed trees.</em>
</p><p>The city centre.</p><p>
  <em>Tomorrow, midday.</em>
</p><p>V did not receive a follow up. There was more than enough said between them, the rest would be done in person. A rare thing it was to have two Netrunners meet out in the open, but for them, and what V intended to ask it was the safest option less they thought to leave the city entirely.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>10. Chapter 10</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>V, I am sorry. Ok there I’ve said it.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>‘Johnny, telling someone your sorry doesn’t automatically “fix” things.’</em>
</p><p>
  <em>What about the fifteenth sorry in a row? It has to mean a little something by then, yeah?</em>
</p><p>V was in the shower rinsing her hair. The entire bathroom smelt like her frangipani soap with her immediate area smelt like her apple shampoo. Thankfully, Johnny had materialised outside of her bathroom, V hadn’t seen him since the Coju.</p><p>Since her visit to the Mox V had paid a venture to Clouds. Not by the usual customer entrance but by a back door. Hack into within seconds, all the establishment’s data was in her hands in a manner of saying. V tinkered her way through the first, second and third level security with relative ease. Hardest of all was to clean up her traces, it was within common sense to never become too cocky when digitally drifting. V had been lucky to escape many a time from a trigger in real life and the net, a simple hack of a data base may appear to be without compromise -simply know the right code and the data is yours. However, V was not born the day before, and for those who could afford high end security an innocent quick hack may lead to a slow death later on.</p><p>Where V found herself in deep trouble was once she found the information she had been after. Woodman, a slimy bastard that likely emerged from a nuclear cesspit was like a twentieth century pimp, run his dolls into the ground then offer them the golden hand back up. To them he appeared as a deity, a vicious conductor of human exploitation on ground zero not cloud nine. His office had been on the other side of the hall, V knew she shouldn’t have but she crossed the hall opened his office and shot him in the head. He was halfway through biting a burger when she sent the bullet through his skull, his face slamming on the keyboard in front of him. She had sense enough to use a muzzle and coupled with the cafeteria jargon and music from the club there was little chance anyone would have caught the sound.</p><p>
  <em>V-</em>
</p><p>
  <em>‘Johnny ca-’</em>
</p><p>
  <em>No, V someone is at the door.</em>
</p><p>V rinsed off the remaining bubbles then wrapped her towel around herself. She wasn’t going to answer the door in a towel, but she could yell at whomever it was whilst drying off.</p><p>Johnny was stood by the door as the visitor knocked again.</p><p>‘WHO IS IT?’</p><p>‘You friendly neighbourhood caller.’</p><p>V knew that voice. She wished it weren’t so but the person on the other side of her apartment door was there for the sole reason of what she had done at Clouds. It had only taken six hours for Woodman’s death to catch up to her.</p><p>Quickly V put on her laziest clothes she owned. If she was to fight at this point, she would do so in comfort. Jeans and leather jackets were second to synth cotton pants with yellow duckies and a white tank.</p><p>‘Rusty, haven’t seen you in a while. How’s things going? Pretty shit my way, but hey what’s new in that? You know its <em>seven</em> in the morning.’ V held out her arm for Rusty to enter her apartment.</p><p>‘I’m surprised you’re already awake.’</p><p>Rusty was member of the Tiger Claws, one for nearly ten years, in those ten years V had known him for five and known of him for six. Average height and handsome without need for surgery to finer tune his edges, Rusty was of Japanese heritage but American upbringing. He was also one of Wakako’s many grandchildren and a high-profile member of the Tiger Claws, not a boss but not one to take orders from too many others -his grandmother the only exception.</p><p>‘V,’ he took a seat in his usual spot. Middle of the lounge facing her bed. ‘You parked your bike too close, you’re lucky I can override the security footage, but you know I won’t do this again. You should know better.’</p><p>‘Too close? I parked two blocks away.’</p><p>Rusty raised his eyebrows at V in a manner that questioned whether it be two blocks or ten if she were spotted would it matter. Answer was a simple and short -no.</p><p>V sat on the edge of her bed, across from her guest. Johnny materialised on the lounge next to Rusty.</p><p>
  <em>This guy? V, he isn’t even a boss in the Claws. His grandma is a fixer.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>‘Johnny, mind your own business. You slept with crusty groupies for years you’re in no place to judge.’</em>
</p><p><em>Judge Johnny. </em>At that Silverhand rolled his eyes then folded his arms across his chest. He remained perched on the lounge.</p><p>‘So, what else is going on? You wouldn’t just show up to tell me how you spotted me on a ten-mile security camera.’ V waved off the idea indignantly.</p><p>Rusty lent forward, elbows resting on his knees, ‘no, your right I wouldn’t be here just for that. I have a job for you and since you’re in no position to refuse I suggest you listen carefully.’</p><p>‘Listening carefully.’ V said with her most painfully poor British accent.</p><p>Rusty rolled his tongue along the inside of his bottom lip, ‘have an issue out by Santo and need <em>someone</em> to get an item and get rid of a problem.’</p><p>‘Continue.’ V waved him on, hoping he would make short work of getting to the point.</p><p>‘There’s this chick, Amanda Summer, she has some Arasaka tech that the Claws -me specifically,’ Rusty pointed to himself, ‘need back. And quickly. She’s held up in a warehouse, Wraiths have her under their protection. The time crux is I don’t know when or how they plan to smuggle her out of the city, but V, I need that tech.’</p><p>V nodded slowly. Raising from her bed she went to her computer desk and picked up her water bottle. Half empty. Rusty followed her with his eyes waiting for her answer.</p><p>‘So, you want the me to head out there as soon as possible to pick up the tech.’</p><p>‘Oh, no you can have it done by next week, that’s fine. Treat it like a university essay -leave it until the due date, or even better a day after.’ Rusty scoffed, ‘well?’</p><p>‘Probably should, being I’m in <em>no position to refuse</em>.’</p><p>Rusty nodded in agreement. He sent her the details of miss Amanda Summer, pretty woman V thought. Honey brown hair and warm amber eyes, some small delicate cybernetics over her cheeks and proudly pink lipstick. V was a little curious as she noticed in the background of the photo the interior of Rusty’s apartment.</p><p>‘She take the tech from your place.’ V said smiling already knowing the answer she would get.</p><p>Rusty pretended to cough as he stood, walking over to V he placed his hand on her waist then kissed her on the cheek.</p><p>‘Of course, you’re not the only one who stuffs up from time to time.’</p><p>V threw her head back with a laugh as she showed Rusty out.  </p><p>
  <em>Well, aren’t you sweet from time to time. Mildly cruel but a softy on the inside.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>‘Lets not get onto what’s on the inside, eh.’</em>
</p><p>Johnny held up his hands as he walked over to her lounge, <em>sure V, also are we still going to see your Netrunner friend.</em></p><p>
  <em>‘In a few more hours yes.’</em>
</p><p>
  <em>You know I don’t know much about the ins and outs of the net.</em>
</p><p><em>‘That doesn’t surprise me Johnny,’ </em>V plonked herself on her bed, stretching out her limbs. Some popped others she had to twist a bit.</p><p>
  <em>But I’ve noticed another little foreign matter in here.</em>
</p><p><em>‘What?’</em> V flung her head up, the angle making her look a little demonic.</p><p>
  <em>Just run a system check. You haven’t done one of those in a while.</em>
</p><p>V couldn’t quite argue with him on that. Since returning home from Vik’s she had not performed one system check. Real life had simply become too busy to worry about the digital.</p><p>Moments went by as V run the system diagnostic. A small ping showed up on her system. A tracker device, cheap but effective one in her left port.</p><p>
  <em>I wonder how that got there…</em>
</p><p>
  <em>‘That cheeky bastard.’</em>
</p><p>V felt behind her ear, right where Takemura’s little tracker was inserted.</p><p>
  <em>Gonna pull it out?</em>
</p><p>V lowered her hand, sitting up on the side of the bed she folded her legs underneath herself.</p><p>
  <em>‘No, actually I’m going to leave it in. I think I’ll be able to locate him with this.’</em>
</p><p>Johnny’s mouth dropped. He even removed his glasses in welcomed surprise.</p><p>
  <em>Ah ha! The Arasaka Dog thought he could sneak past a street rat. Ha!</em>
</p><p>
  <em>‘Johnny, I am not going to kill Takemura for this. Honestly in his position I would have done the same.’</em>
</p><p>
  <em>No, you wouldn’t have, I’ve seen what-</em>
</p><p>
  <em>‘Aright no, I wouldn’t have. In essence then…Now let’s find ourselves a fugitive.’</em>
</p><p>V paired the tracker’s signal with Takemura’s phone number, regardless that it was a cheap throwaway it still worked on telephone signals which meant with a dash of creepy stalker incitive she would be able to locate his current position. It took seven minutes, odd for when she had done this before it usually took her no more than two.</p><p>
  <em>What is that place like?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>‘A shithole. It was decommissioned three years ago. Just another hollow building for the homeless, druggies and the odd murder.’</em>
</p><p>
  <em>And apparently Arasaka bodyguards.</em>
</p><p>V smirked, <em>‘I don’t think we’d find too many of them, just our little bodyguard.’</em></p><p>
  
</p><p>V sipped on a warm cup of tea as she waited for T-Bug to appear. She was just outside of the Nightcity project replant as she remembered Jackie coined it. The trees were pleasant even if they were housed inside specially designed glass boxes. It was nice to see something other than the colour grey in the city, of course one could travel to North Oak but unless one lived there it was best to not make a presence where one was not wanted.</p><p>Her phone buzzed. It was a message from Misty.</p><p>-Mama Welles just invited me to dinner tomorrow night, thank you V.</p><p>-Enjoy yourself, be careful with Mama Welles ‘special sauce’ its good but will burn straight through your stomach.</p><p>V added a crying-laughing face to the end of her message. It was true V loved some spicy food but too much of a good thing from Mama Welles kitchen would come back to haunt her.</p><p>A woman wearing a bright orange coat and black thigh high boots sat next to V. The aroma of her coffee quickly swirled into V’s nose. V loved the smell of coffee but could not stomach the bitter taste. Tea with two generous sugars was her niche.</p><p>‘How’s things going Bug?’ V drunk the last of her tea then tossed the cardboard cup into the nearest bin. Some days she felt like the only person in Nightcity who used the public bins.</p><p> V could hear T-bug’s grin, ‘we can both answer that -shit, with a helping of <em>oh fuck </em>on occasion<em>.</em>’</p><p>‘I would say you got the best of it,’ V crossed one leg over another. Like T-Bug she had dressed rather formally; mousy blonde hair pulled back into a tidy high-top bun, thin silver frame sunglasses, neat black jeans that tapered at her ankles, a lilac long sleeve knit and black heels with a dash of silver accents. She looked like a CEO’s grown daughter who still got a monthly allowance, if only it were true.</p><p>‘Tell me, have you found your get away home yet?’ V asked.</p><p>‘V, cut the crap. Where’s the relic?’</p><p>V was mildly surprised that Bug had so openly spoken of the relic, but then again this was T-Bug and the brief moment of just dues would never live a long with her.</p><p>‘I still have it, you did give it to me remember? Unlike our mutual <em>I</em> have taken care of it.’</p><p>T-Bug leaned forward to look at V, there position was still within the realm of natural conversation going on between two women but did appear to be growing a little odd. T-Bug removing her sunglass and reaching forward to take off V’s did not help.</p><p>-<em>So, what happened to it?</em></p><p>
  <em>-‘Where is Dex? I have a score I want to settle with him.’</em>
</p><p>‘V! Jesus…Fuck Dex! If you still have it then Saka is going to find you.’ T-Bug held her forehead in her palm.</p><p>‘Bug, I have it, that’s all you need to know. Unless you still plan on handing it over to Dex -which I quite an ass hat of a move by the way, throw me a bone here.’ V pleaded just a little.</p><p>‘I don’t know where he is.’</p><p>‘Oh bullshit.’ V uncrossed her legs feeling ready to walk off it not for the fact that it would get her nowhere.</p><p>
  <em>Hell if this is what all conversations between ‘girlfriends’ are like I request you take one of Misty’s pills beforehand.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>‘Shut it, Johnny.’</em>
</p><p>Johnny walked over to a tree and lent against the branch. Fishing out a digital cigarette he remained nearby as Bug started talking.</p><p>‘V, its like he dropped off the face of the earth.’</p><p>‘Let’s be honest, between you, me and Dex we all had a moment.’ V took her sunglasses back from T-Bug and put them on.</p><p>‘I’ve kept an ear to the ground but nothing, V have you been on the Net?’</p><p>V pointed to where she was recently shot in the head, ‘no I’ve had a little issue. Other things come up and well, heavy brain trauma and deep net diving just don’t go hand in hand. I can scratch the surface, but I haven’t tried anything requiring cooling gear to put it simply.’</p><p>T-Bug bobbed her head along as she listened. There was more she had to say but if V wasn’t planning on going on the net maybe it was unnecessary for the time.</p><p>‘That being said, you can still surf the net.’ V pointed.</p><p>Bug pulled back, ‘yeah but things are a little hectic at the moment.’</p><p>‘Things are always hectic, real world and digital. I need information on Ev. She’s gone missing.’</p><p>‘Really? The doll. She’s probably dead, or in some warehouse as a snuff toy.’</p><p>‘Oddly specific.’ V rolled the words off her tongue.</p><p>‘Let’s be honest V, that doll is a well and truly dead end.’ Bug felt a tinge of melancholy towards the woman but it was a round of bad decisions that got her there. Going behind Dex’s back, thinking she could cross Arasaka honestly it was a matter of time before she was pulled under the water.</p><p>‘Last I found she was sent to a ripper in Jig-Jig, I checked his cams -wish I could wipe that from my memory, but I think I need to speak to him. The people that took her I couldn’t track from his clinic.’</p><p>T-Bug raised her shoulders, ‘probably the claws? Wakako’s ground boys probably tossed her body into the river. I don’t see how <em>I</em> can help with this.’</p><p>‘No, you’re right, you probably can’t help me find her.’</p><p>‘V.’</p><p>‘But think about it Bug, Ev was the client who hired Dex to then hire you, me and Jackie to steal that fucking chip from Arasaka.’ V looked over her shoulder less inconspicuously than she should have, ‘why would a doll want that item? She couldn’t have much use for it on her own unless Ev was running a bioengineer lab underneath The Mox.’</p><p>‘Ah, you think someone hired her.’ T-Bug agreed it was the most passable course, ‘kinda wish I thought of that.’</p><p>‘Can you try to find out who? I will be trying to find Ev amongst the many other things that occupy my time and once I have found her-’</p><p>‘She might have something on her doll chip?’</p><p>V titled her head, ‘worth a check don’t you think?’</p><p>T-Bug handed V her empty coffee cup and V put it in the bin behind her. Johnny was beginning to ramble about the doll and the Tiger Claws as V and T-Bug stood up.</p><p>‘It was nice seeing you T-Bug.’</p><p>‘Yeah, yeah, you too V.’</p><p>With that the two went their separate ways. V had taken a taxi to the city centre and had intended on collecting Jackie’s arch.</p><p>
  <em>What is the plan now?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>‘Now, well we need to pay a visit to the Afterlife.’</em>
</p>
  </div></div>
</body>
</html>